Sticky Situation
by L122yTorch
Summary: A crazed patient of Dr. Dani's storms into the offices where Dani, Nico and Matt are talking. He puts her life in danger and Nico has never felt more helpless. How will Matt, Nico and Dani react to the situation, and who will they turn to in order to recover from it?
1. Chapter 1

Nico thought he was prepared for anything. But the truth was that he never could have been prepared for this. Dr. Dani was helping a Hawks player that had been cut and moved to second string. Scott had watched his world fall apart and decided that the best way to cope was with alcohol. He had marched into the Hawks offices seeking this miraculous doctor who had been telling him for a week that his life wasn't over when it was.

His palms were sweating, his heartbeat was ringing in his ears and the cold metal of his weapon pressed against his side. Scott looked into the glass offices and saw Dr. Dani, Nico and GM Matt in a loose triangle. Discussing something…something that didn't matter. All of their heads turned as he entered the room. He stood right next to Dr. Dani.

Dani could see Nico's features hardening, could feel the hairs stand up on the back of his neck. "What are you doing here?" Dani asked. "Good question," Scott said with a slur. "Clearly I don't belong here. But it'll all be all right won't it doc?" he spat angrily at her.

Nico was now on full alert, no longer leaning against the desk but standing stone still like a cat about to pounce. "I think you should go Scott, it's late," Nico said. "I can give you a ride back."

"A ride back to what?" Scott hissed. "What have I got to go back to? This year I'm second string, and next year I'm cut." His eyes shot over to Matt. "I heard you and coach talking about getting rid of me. Saying that I'm slipping! Saying that I'm too 'vol-a-tile.'" Scott was now yelling and his words smacked off the walls of the small office.

"Scott…" Matt started. "SHUT UP!" Scott screamed. Nico began to move forward but before he knew it Scott had come up behind Dr. Dani and had her neck in a strong hold with his left arm, and pulled a gun out with his right hand. He pointed it at Nico.

"Scott don't do this," Dani said in a near whisper. "I SAID SHUTUP!" Scott shouted in her ear. Dani gulped hard and felt a pang of terror run down her spine. Her legs felt like jelly and her stomach churned violently.

"You don't know what it's like to lose something you would give your life for," Scott choked out, his gun still trained on Nico who had his hands up. "Yes I do," Dani managed to get out.

"Oh yeah, what'd you lose?" Scott 's voice boomed.

"A baby," Dani whispered, her hands now shaking.

"You're lying. You'll say anything to get me to put this gun down. You're trying to shrink me," he yelled, tightening his grip around her neck. Nico desperately tried to refrain himself from lunging at Scott. His eyes were locked on Dani's, his heart felt sick.

"His name was Benjamin," Dani choked, holding back tears. "He was my first baby, before my other two kids. I lost him at five months. I would have died in his place if it would have meant that he could live," tears were now streaming down her face. "I'm not lying to you Scott, I do know what it's like to lose something so…incredibly…important," tears were now streaming down her face.

"I also know…that life carries on," she said in her most calming voice. "Maybe for you, but not for me," Scott said.

Those words felt like fire running through Nico's brain. Those are the words of a man who's already decided…Nico's lips parted and with baited breath said "you're not a violent person Scott. And Dr. Dani has done nothing but try to help you, please don't put her through this," his voice cracked.

Scott tightened his grip around her neck even further. "She fed me shit!" he screamed. "She tried to sugarcoat the worst thing that's ever happened to me." Nico's blood boiled as he stared into her terrified wet eyes. Her lips quivered, and a small yelp rose up from her throat.

"YOU," he nodded over to Matt "YOU and coach cut me. And I know you care about her," he said pointing the gun towards her head.

The moment the weapon wasn't trained on Nico he swung a gun out from behind his jacket and pointed at Scott.

"You shoot me, I shoot her," Scott said in a strangled voice, tears falling down his face.

It was like all the air was sucked out of the room. Nico couldn't breathe; he didn't know what to do…for once.

Even though she was starting to see spots and could barely croak out the words, Dani said "I know this isn't what you want Scott. I know this isn't who you are."

Scott's face began to melt. More tears rolled down his cheeks. He began to loosen his stronghold on her neck but kept her in front of him.

There was a moment of silence that seemed to last forever.

And then in a split second Scott pushed Dani to the floor and raised the gun to his head. On the way to the floor she smacked her head on a wood coffee table and immediately felt searing pain and overwhelmingly dizzy.

She heard Nico's voice saying "please don't do this Scott, please."

Nico pled with Scott and anxiously looked down at Dani. She'd never seen such an expression of terror on his face before.

A moment of silence passed that felt like an eternity and then Scott put the gun down. The police had arrived after hearing screaming and had been waiting outside the office with weapons drawn for the last ten minutes. "Take him outside," Nico said to Matt lowering his weapon.

Matt grabbed the gun Scott had put down and led him to the door where the cops were waiting.

Nico fell to his knees in front of Dani. She leapt into his arms and held him tightly. He could feel the blood from her forehead trickling down his shirt. They pulled away from one another and he held her face in his hands. Tears began to stream down his face; his fingers trembled just the slightest bit. His face was so close to hers she couldn't breathe.

He placed cold clammy fingers on the bruise that was already forming on her neck and on the cut on her forehead. He couldn't speak, no words would come out, he just took a sharp breath in and stared into her eyes. She brushed the tear off his cheek and ran her hand around his neck and into his hair.

Matt had begun to explain what happened to the police, he was still recovering emotionally. He wanted to run to Dani but the cop had begun asking questions. He answered a few of them and turned around to look in the office; just in time to see Nico holding Dani, her hand running over his face.


	2. Chapter 2

That night, Dani lay awake staring at the ceiling. She left the nightstand lamp on as well as the TV to help her feel less alone. Eventually she thought she'd grow tired and fall asleep but she couldn't.

She had come home and hugged her kids, she had taken a two-hour bubble bath and downed half a bottle of wine; but still she didn't feel okay. At around 3am she turned on her side to face her nightstand where her cell was plugged in. How ironic was it that the shrink desperately wanted someone to comfort her? To help her.

She swore that she could still feel the vice grip of Scott's arm around her neck…the terror that electrified her body as the gun was pointed towards her. In that moment, all she could think about were her kids. Trapped tears stung behind her already swollen eyes. She looked once more at her phone on the nightstand.

She pictured Matt answering the phone, or should it be Nico? Now she was picturing Nico answering the phone. Wondering what he looked like as he slept, wondering what he wore to bed, how his sheets would feel. "God, what am I doing," she whispered to no one bringing her hand to her forehead.

If there was one thing Dani Santino was not, it's the damsel in distress. So she turned over once more and closed her eyes in an attempt to fall asleep.

Nico didn't even try to sleep; every time he closed his eyes he saw Dani's face wearing an expression of devastation and terror. He relived every moment and scorned himself repeatedly for not stopping Scott the second he walked through the door.

He sat, wide-awake in front of the TV, his eyes on the screen and his mind on Dani. His uneaten microwave dinner sat cold on the coffee table. He looked around at his apartment and realized that if things had gone worse today he wouldn't have come home at all. Nico Careles was not afraid of dying. It was a weird thought, but the thought that really scared him was the thought of coming back to a world without Dani.

He could still feel the rage bubbling up inside of him as Scott tightened his grip on her neck. Then the rage morphed into terror as the gun was pointed at her head. The same head that he had held in his hands as he kissed her for the first time only two weeks ago.

They addressed the kiss a week after it happened, but both decided to maintain a "neutral" working relationship.

He thought he could do it, sever the romantic emotional ties that held him to her but…never had he been so sure about how he felt than after today.

She was right earlier…just look at all this job had cost her. He felt responsible somehow.

He couldn't sit anymore. Standing, he quickly paced around the dark living room. When he had come home he stripped down, took a shower and got dressed for tomorrow because he knew that sleep was not a possibility.

When he wasn't busy replaying the looks on her face or the things he could have done differently, he was replaying her very personal story that she shared with Scott. It's just like her to bear whatever truth is necessary in order to connect with a patient.

The devastating story was so heart wrenching…so…indescribably painful to listen to. He imagined the anguish she went through and in that moment, standing in that office, amidst all of that chaos, he could feel his heart tear.

A deep sigh echoed the black apartment as Nico attempted to stop himself from thinking about it again.

He wanted to go to her, to hold her, to kiss her again and never let her to. To tell her that he would take a bullet for her any day…

It had been a long day though. They were all scheduled to see a counselor in the morning, even Dr. Dani, and even though tomorrow would be a Saturday. He just wanted to see her so badly…make sure she was okay. But he was unsure of what his emotions and reactions would be, and that scared him.

But not enough to stop him from getting in his car.

It was 3:30 when Dani happened to see a quick flash of headlights streaming, just briefly, through her bedroom drapes. Her heart leapt and her mouth ran dry. She grabbed her phone, and a bat that she kept behind the door, and tiptoed downstairs.

She made it downstairs but her feet stopped moving when they touched the wood floor. Instead of going to the window, she quickly dialed Nico, he answered on the first ring.

"Nico, someone just pulled up to my house," she said in a shaky voice. "It's me, I'm here, I'm…I'm coming," he said, and before she could hang up there was a light knock on the door.

She checked and sure enough, it was Nico. She opened the door with a sigh of relief and he brushed past her. "I didn't mean to startle you," he apologized profusely. "I just…thought I'd sit on your house, make sure…that you're okay."

Even in the dark his eyes were piercing and warm. He smelled clean and his clothes were fresh. His gaze drank her in for a second and then modestly looked away. She had forgotten her robe and was wearing a purple silky nightgown.

"I'm glad you're here," she admitted. "For maybe the first time today I feel safe," she said, unfolding her arms. Her facial features relaxed and she took a deep breath waiting for his next words.

He nervously ran his hand over his mouth. He felt like his head was spinning and he couldn't get a hold of all the emotions screaming through him.

"There's so much…I want to say…" he said with a crack in his voice.

She was unprepared to see him so vulnerable. "I know, me too," she breathed taking a step closer to him. She bit her lip and looked upset.

"Every time I think about the possibility of you getting shot," she choked out.

He shook his head and quickly gathered her in his arms. Her nails dug into the fabric of his back. "I know it's hard…not to replay it," he said. "But I'm okay, you're okay, we're okay." She pulled out of his arms and looked at him. She ran her hand through his hair and down his face and he mirrored her actions.

In an instant she caught his bottom lip and he returned the kiss. Even when he was out of breath he kept kissing her, running his hands through her silky hair and along her soft nightgown. He swore that he could feel her heartbeat against his chest. She was intoxicating and her lips were sweet with the taste of wine.

Finally they pulled apart. A look of consideration spread across Nico's face. He took a half-step back. "Dani…" he began. "I…we…went through a trauma today…" he stopped.

"And it's late, and our judgement is compromised," Dani finished his thought. "Yes," he said, "but that doesn't mean…that…we can't pick up later where we're leaving off now. I…I'm sorry… "

"Don't be," Dani replied. "You're absolutely right, I think we need some time to get our heads on straight," she said tucking her disheveled hair behind her ear.

"But…could you stay with me tonight?" she asked taking his warm hand in hers.

"Absolutely," he answered and followed her upstairs.


	3. Chapter 3

Dani awoke to a Nico-less room. When she had closed her eyes the previous night he sat in the corner of her room with his head resting against his fist. He had shut his eyes but she doubted he slept.

She used the spare moonlight slipping through the blinds to study his features. Glimmers of light shone off his jet-black hair and she traced the contours of his face with her eyes. She knew he could probably feel her gaze but she didn't care. For once, she felt safe. She closed her eyes.

And when she opened them, he was gone.

The week rolled by at the slowest pace. She would catch Nico in the corner of her eye and then look away. Her feelings for him were real. They were so strong infact that it scared her. She had fallen hard for Matt but not as easily as she slipped into caring for Nico.

She was giving him space and he was respecting it. It was almost like nothing had happened at all. But that's not what Dani wanted. As a therapist you'd think she know how to proceed with him but every time she saw him her stomach twisted into a knot and her heart raced. She knew that she was more vunerable and in Nico' hands who knows where that could lead.

The next Monday was long and arduous. Dani's last client had literally given her a headache. The man who sat on her couch had rattled on and on and on and she could literally feel her heartbeat in her head.

At the end of the session she walked her client to the door, said goodbye and returned to the couch where she collapsed on the soft pillows. And closed her heavy eyes. She woke up a few hours later and it was dark outside.

The sound of a soft knock on her door startled Dani. She sprung up and went to the door, surprised to see tall dark and mysterious walk through her door. "Rough day?" Nico asked strolling into the office.

"You could say that," she said walking over to the couch and having a seat. He followed her over and sat down beside her. He gave her a slight smile and she unknowingly began biting her bottom lip out of anxiousness.

He looked up at her with eyes that melted all of her resolve. "Need therapy?" she joked to cut the silence. "Oh I'm sure," he smiled looking down at his hands. "I actually came to talk to you about a new client," he said twisting his hands together and looking over at Dani, her face revealing obvious disappointment.

She shook her head and smiled. "I definitely think you need therapy," she half laughed. "But I think I need it more," she said bringing her hand to her head, her tone turning serious. She gulped and breathed in his musky scent.

"Why is that?" he asked leaning towards her.

"Because I can't stop thinking about you," she said shrugging her shoulders. "At first I thought it was because of the traumatic situation…but…it's not," she said, her voice trailing off in a whisper.

"I felt so crushed when I opened my eyes and you weren't there the morning after the incident. And all I've wanted ever since that day…is…you. You in my room, you in my arms, your lips, your stare..." her words evaporated under the intense stare of Nico. He was leaning closer to her, his hand rising to her face. "You want me?" he asked. "Are you sure? I'm no Matt…"

"I don't want you to be," she answered in all honesty. "I want you." "And I know I may be springing this on you…I'm not sure you feel the same way…" she began rambling on.

He pulled further away from her face, scaring her. "Nico…" she whispered but he grabbed her hand. He led her out of the office without saying a word. He led her through her own empty house and up the stairs to her bedroom.

They stopped when they reached her room and he gently shut the door. He then walked over to her, standing so close that he could feel her breath hit his lips and chin. "I do feel the same way," he said grabbing her face with both hands and devouring her in a kiss.

She couldn't seem to catch her breath. The way he made her feel was unparalleled. His soft lips delivered fervent and pleading kisses. She reached her hands under his black trench coat and slipped it off his shoulders. The fabric hit the floor and he quickly undid his sport jacket. His rough hands reached beneath her blouse and met soft hot flesh. He pulled her shirt over her head.

Her fingers nimbly undid the buttons of his shirt and she grinded against his hips as he unhooked her bra. His thirsty eyes were drinking her in, melting her alive. He took her breast in his left hand and caressed the silky soft nub of flesh with his thumb as he slowly and tantalizingly pulled the zipper of her jeans down with his other hand. The sound of the metal zipper echoed through the room along with their heavy breaths.

She smiled and did the same with his zipper. He felt like he was dying, all he wanted was to be inside of her. For her to know him completely; know every scar on his back, every tattoo he keeps hidden, every spot that when she kisses he moans.

In the breath of a moment he is on top of her, his strong hands roaming all over her body; in her soft hair, over her face, around her body, in the liquid heat between her thighs. Curses slipped off her lips and she flipped them over. He let her, his strong body, all muscles flopped down beneath her on the bed. She slid down his body, running her fingernails down his sides until she reached the point of his excitement.

She took him in her mouth and he made a sound that was making her lose it. Who was torturing who here? Her lips slipped up and down his length until she felt his hands vice grip around her biceps and pull her up to his face.

He couldn't take it anymore, he flipped them around once more and hovered over her for a second. "I don't ever want to forget this moment," he said to her, staring into her deep brown eyes. He leaned down for a passionate kiss and dove into her. Her body shuddered around him, her hands digging into his back.

She let him take over, expressing everything in actions that his words had never been able to say.

She held on as long as possible but he was an expert with his body and hands and she said his name as she came around him. And then came again and again. Finally, he went with her and they collapsed in a heap of tangled arms and labored breaths.

She put an unsteady hand against his flush face. "I love you," the words fell off her swollen lips.


End file.
